Williamson man indicted on child porn charges

CHARLESTON — A Williamson man was one of three men recently indicted by a federal grand jury for child pornography offenses.

United States Attorney Booth Goodwin said that Paul Silas Jenkins, 33, of Williamson, was indicted for production of child pornography.

According to the indictment, Jenkins allegedly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct which had been transmitted and transported between 2010 and no later than December 2011.

Jenkins faces up to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervised release if convicted.

Also indicted for similar offenses were:

• Charles D. Cunningham, 39, of Milton, was charged with distribution and possession of child pornography. The two-count indictment alleges that on Feb. 23, 2009, Cunningham distributed child pornography. The indictment also alleges that on May 22, 2009, Cunningham possessed computer images and videos of child pornography.

Cunningham faces up to 30 years in prison, a $500,000 fine and lifetime supervised release if convicted.

• Raymond Eugene Leake, 34, of Huntington, was charged with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The four-count indictment alleges that on Dec. 24, 2012 through Jan. 13, Leake attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity. The indictment further alleges that on Jan. 10, 2013, Leake received child pornography. Also, on Jan. 13, Leake allegedly distributed child pornography.

Leake faces up to life in prison, a $1 million fine and lifetime supervised release if convicted.

The indictments were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/wvs/PSCpage.html. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and follow the link named “Resources.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation West Virginia Cyber Crimes Task Force, West Virginia State Police, Huntington Police Department, and Huntington Violent Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force conducted the investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada is in charge of the prosecutions.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.)

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